←Recommendations of Better (Short)

Gatton immediately creates a full world peopled with fully developed characters that jump off the page - something so hard to do in a short piece. The dialogue is truthful and funny and biting and sad and honest...all at once. A brilliant piece.

A truly great funny, meaningful, tight ten-minute play. A fantastic character study achieved in such a short period of time. We only know Ruth and Donna for ten minutes, but we know everything about them. A hilarious, but deeply sad story about two people mired with resentment and unfulfilled dreams. Great title, poignant, fun, and about as perfect as you can get in a two-hander.

One of the funniest plays I've read in years! So truthful even to the point of bringing up a lot memories working on the night shift in my little small town in South Carolina while I was in college. It's raw and funny and just explodes right off the page with such depth of soul and heart. Such great roles for two people. It's one of those plays I could read it again and again and never tire of the situation, dialogue or action. Very well done and so inspiring to me as a writer.

Put Frances McDormand and Laurie Metcalf in this scene immediately. Gatton’s play BETTER deserves performers with such chops. The characterization is full, their arcs rich, and the tension created between them when the scene comes to a head is an unforgettable hold-your-breath moment. Strong commentary on what women are capable of, their perceived limitations, and the consequences of settling for less. Outstanding.

BETTER is a really great play that has two meaty, fun roles for middle-aged women! Whereas some middle aged female characters in plays/films/tv shows are absent or relegated to two-dimensional flat characters, this play is the opposite; the characters are funny and witty with dialogue that pops right off the page. And as the play unfolds, it becomes clear that they are complicated, imperfect people. The location of the play is a unique setting that lends itself beautifully to the story and language. I highly recommend this short gem.

The monologues, the rhythm of the dialog, the vulgarity, the viciousness, the nastiness -- all of it impressively creates the two distinct women that seem so REAL, so ALIVE. I would love to see this play! These women are cold, ugly, raw just like the poultry coming down on the line. A perfect representation of working class women in a factory. Perfect. Highly recommended. This play makes me want to check out other plays by Vince Gatton...